Hydraulic apparatus.



. BAILEY HYDRAULIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR- 3. 1913.

Patented May 2, 1916.

w M P WITNESSES:

MM zzwuw fa d film THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL BAILEY, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

HYDRAULIC APPARATUS.

Application filed March 3, 1913.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, PAUL BAILEY, citizen of the United States, residing at Sacra- Inento, in the county of Sacramento and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to hydraulic apparatus, and particularly to an improved means for obtaining a constant discharge of fluid from a source under a variable head or pressure, or for obtaining a discharge increasing or decreasing in any desired relation with a respective increasing or decreasing head or pressure at the source, or for measuring the volume of flow of a liquid from a source.

The object of the present invention is to provide an accurate. automatic. reliable and practical apparatus, operating hydraulically, whereby either a constant volume of flowing water or other liquid can be obtained from the source irrespective of variations of the head or pressure at said source, or whereby a volume of flow can be obtained from the source which volume increases or decreases in any desired relation with a respective increase or decrease of the head or pressure at the source.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an accurate, automatic, reliable and practical apparatus, operating hydraulically, whereby the volume of water or other liquid flowing from a source can be measured.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction, and the combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the improved hydraulic apparatus arranged to control the flow of liquid. Fig. 2 is a longitudianl section of same through the shutter. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of a simple form of accumulative variable weight. Fig. 4 is a view of another form of the improved hydraulic apparatus arranged to measure the volume of fluid issuing from the source.

The present invention involves a means for automatically positively controlling the volume of discharge of a liquid from a conductor, canal, ditcli, flume, pipe or other source of supply (2), in which the head or pressure of liquid may vary from time to Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Serial No. 751,758.

time. In many industrial and manufacturing processes, in the filtration of large water supplies, but particularly in irrigation work, it is desirable to have an accurate, simple, practical, automatically operable controlling gate or device for delivering a given quantity of water or other liquid constantly and Without variation. It is also sometimes desirable for the controlling gate or device to deliver a volume of How which increases or decreases in some desired relation with a respective increase or decrease of the head or pressure at the source. It is essential that the device operates reliably without the at tention of an operator or attendant.

The present invention also involves a means for accurately, automatically and positively measuring the volume of flow of a liquid from a conductor, canal, ditch, fiume, pipe or other source of supply (2). In many industrial and manufacturing processes but especially in irrigation work and community water supplies, it is desirable to have an accurate, simple, practical, automatically operable measuring gate or device to measure the volume of flow of water or other liquid from the source of supply To these ends, I have provided a device including a transverse wall, dam or partition (3), extending across the supply conductor (2) and having a discharge aperture (4) through which water or other liquid escapes from the supply side to the opposite side of the wall, dam or partition (3).

The means for controlling the volume of water or other liquid passing through the transverse wall (3) consists of an appropriately shaped, proportioned and designed shutter (5), operating in an upstream projecting tube (A), which may or may not form the Walls of the supply conductor. The shutter is here illustrated as forming the top of this tube (A) which consists of side walls (6) and a bottom The shutter may form either side or the bottom of the tube which must have two sides, a top and a bottom. The shutter is hinged at one end, as at (8), adjacent to or upon the surface of the transverse wall (3), and operates with a snug working fit at its edges between the contiguous walls of the tube Preferably the shutter (5) approximates the length of the tube (A) in which it operates, and has its swinging upstream edge bent outwardly as at (9). The function of this outward-turned or outward-bent angular edge (9) of the shutter is to approximately neutralize the tendency of the impacting current to close the shutter toward the opposite face of the tube. )Vhile water or other liquid flows through the tube (A) there is an unbalanced hydraulic pressure acting on the shutter tending to push or shove the shutter toward the opposite face of the tube. This unbalanced pressure is the resultant of the static pressures acting on the inside and outside of the tube (A). hen the Water or other liquid flows through the tube, a portion of the static head or potential energy of the liquid outside the tube (A) must change to velocity head or kinetic energy as it enters and passes through the tube (A). The hydraulic pressure acting to push the shutter (5) away from the opposite face of the tube will therefore be less than the hydraulic pressure acting to push the shutter toward the opposite face of the tube. The turning moment thus produced bears a definite relation to the velocity of the liquid flowing through the tube In operation, as the shutter (5) is moved toward the opposite face of the tube (A) the volume of water or other liquid flowing through the aperture in the transverse wall (3) will be reduced if the pressure on the supply side remains the same for the cross sectional area of the entrance to the tube (A) is thereby lessened. The free rotary movement of the shutter (5) thus affords an easy means of controlling the discharge volume of the aperture in the transverse wall (3). Then for the purpose of maintaining a constant discharge from the supply (2) when the head or pressure is variable the position of the shutter (5) is regulated by a suitable counterbalancing device which will exert a force on the shutter (5) just sufficient to balance the turning moment produced by the unbalanced hydraulic pressures previously mentioned as acting on the shutter (5). Then for an increase or decrease in the head or pressure at the supply (2) the respectively increased or decreased hydraulic forces acting on the shutter (5) move it to a position in the tube (A), where the cross-sectional area between the shutter (5) and the opposite face of the tube (A) is just sufiicient to pass the desired flow of liquid through the apparatus under the respectively increased or decreased head or pressure at the supply (2). The shutter (5) is then counter-balanced in its new position by the respectively increased or decreased force exerted on it by the counter-balancing device which has been designed, proportioned, constructed and adjusted to so act. This counterbalancing device consists of an arrangement of suitable pulleys, wheels,

arcs, or levers as (11) rocking or turning on their shafts or journals as (12), joined on one side of their fulcrum to the shutter (5) by a suitable strap, cable, or other device as (10), and joined on the opposite side of the fulcrum by a suitable connection (13) to a resistant device here shown as an arrangement of weights (14:). These weights are constructed in a series of sections 15) which act cumulatively to increase their load as the shutter (5) is moved or pushed toward the opposite face of the tube (A) by the greater hydraulic force acting on the shutter (5) due. to an increase of head or pressure at the supply. Likewise the load of the weights (1%) will decrease as the shutter moves away from the opposite face of the tube due to the hydraulic force acting on the shutter becoming less when the head or pressure in the supply decreases. Therefore by properly proportioning and spacing these sectional weights and adjusting their connection to the counterbalancing device and shutter (5) they form a simple, reliable, accurate, automatic, resistance to counter-balance the automatically active hydraulic forces producing a turning moment on the shutter (5).

To arrange the apparatus for operation to control the flow so that a volume can be obtained from the source, which volume increases or decreases in any desired relation, with a respective increase or decrease of the head or pressure at the source, it is simply necessary to change the weight or spacing of each of the successive sections (15) of the weight device (11) so that instead of counter-balancing the shutter in a position for each change of head or pressure at the supply (2), that a constant volume of discharge will be maintained, the shutter is counterbalanced by the weight device in a position which will give the desired volume of flow through the gate or apparatus for the head or pressure then acting at the supply To arrange this apparatus for measuring the volume of liquid flowing from a source, it is simply necessary to reconstruct the weight sections 15) and provide the proper indicators and registers for indicating and recording the How. The weight sections (15) of the weight device (14) will then be so proportioned and assembled that, for the minimum flow through the apparatus, the hydraulic forces, acting on the shutter (5), will be counter-balanced by the load of the cumulative weight device (14) when the shutter is in an approximately horizontal position, and for the maximum flow through the apparatus when the shutter has taken some desired position with its free end nearer the opposite face of the tube (A). For each intermediate volume of flow the shutter (5) will then take a position of equilibrium intermediate between its two extreme positions. It will then be understood that by attaching an indicator (16) to which the motion of the shutter (5) is communicated, the pointer can be made to move over a graduated scale (17) and accurately and automatically indicate the volume of flow of liquid passing through the apparatus at that time. Likewise, the movement of the shutter (5) can be transmitted to some standard or specially devised mechanism (18) which will indicate and record thevolume of flow passing through the apparatus at each instant through the day or the total volume of liquid which has passed through the apparatus to any instant during the day.

This apparatus is thus intended to be used under many conditions. The relative proportion, shape. arrangement. and construction of the component parts will therefore change to suit each condition. For the purpose of illustration one particular arrangement and form of the parts has here been shown and described which will best convey an idea of the principle and purpose of this invention. Particularly this applies to the shutter (5). the levers and rocker (11 and 12). the tube and counter-balancing device (14). For instance. the shutter (5) may vary in length with respect to the tube (A). the form of angular turnout (9) may be very different from that shown in the sketch. or the tube (A) may ha\e special features to form easy entrance or exit conditions for the liquid passing through the tube (A).

Variations from the foregoing description may be made to control the hydraulic forces and the easy passage of the liquid so that the apparatus will work to the best advantage under certain specific conditions. .\lso the lever system (11) may be constructed of any form or arrangement of common lever machines such as gear wheels. compound levers or belted wheels. according to the limits of space or headroom specified in a given design. The weight device (H) may be any arrangement of resistances to give a cumulative pull on the balancing side of the fulcrum by which means the cost of manufacture may be reduced in cheaper and less accurate apparatus. .\lso where it is desirable to condense the vertical height of the apparatus. the cumulative resistances or the complete counter-balancing device may operate in av water tight receptacle as (19) the bottom of which can then be placed immediately above the tube (A) without submerging any portion of the balancing device.

The counterbalancing weights 15. Fig. 3. are relatively loosely connected so that they are lifted or lowered successively. and. as here shown. are connected by links or hooks 15 of such length that each weight has a small degree of free movement relative to those above and below. As the lever 11 swings up the slack is taken up between the links or hooks l5 and the weights successively lifted. \Vhen the weights are at rest upon each other the coordinate hooks slightly separate, as shown in Fig. 3.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim and desire to secure by Letters l at ent. is

1. In a hydraulic apparatus, a liquid conductor. a transverse dam or wall thereat. having an aperture. a tube with one end arranged against the dam and communicating with the aperture and projecting from the supply side of the dam. and a shutter for controlling the flow of liquid through said aperture pivoted transverse the tube and having its swinging edge opposing the current in the tube and adapted to substantially neutralize the tendency of the impacting current to close the shutter and being operable with variations in velocity of flow adjacent to said shutter.

2. In a hydraulic apparatus. a liquid conductor. a transverse wall in the conductor provided with an aperture. a tubular member communicating with the aperture of the wall. and a pivoted shutter for controlling the flow of liquid through the aperture of the wall. said shutter having its swinging edge angularly disposed relative to the shut ter for action thereon by the liquid.

3. In a hydraulic apparatus, a liquid conductor. an apertured transverse dam or wall. a tubular member communicating with the aperture of said dam. a pivoted shutter having its swinging edge opposing the current of the liquid flo and having its free edge arranged to form a variable area for controlling the flow to. and through said aperture. and means automatically operable with variations in velocity of flow adjacent to said shutter.

4. In a hydraulic apparatus. a liquid conductor. a transverse dam or wall thereat having an aperture. a tube with one end arranged against the wall and communicating with the aperture and projecting from the supply side of the dam. and a shutter pivoted transverse the tube and having its swinging edge opposing the current in the tube, said shutter controlling the flow of liquid through said aperture and being operable with variations in velocity of flow adjacent to said shutter.

S. In a hydraulic apparatus. a liquid conductor. a transverse dam or wall thereat having an aperture. a tube with one end arranged against the dam and communicating with the aperture and projecting from the supply side of the dam. and a shutter for controlling the flow of liquid through said aperture pivoted transverse the tube and having its swinging edge opposing the current in the tube and adapted to substantially neutralize the tendency of the impacting current to close the shutter and being operable with variations in velocity of flow adjacent to said shutter.

6. In a hydraulic apparatus, a liquid con ductor, a transverse dam or wall thereat having an aperture, a tube with one end arranged against the dam and communicating with the aperture, and projecting from the supply side of the dam, a shutter for controlling the flow of liquid through said aperture pivotedtransverse the tube and having its swinging edge opposing the current in the tube and adapted to substantially neutralize the tendency of the impacting current to close the shutter, said shutter be ing operable with variations in velocity of adjacent How, and means connected to the shutter for counterbalancing the variations in the forces of static pressure with change of velocity of flow adjacent to the shutter, said means governing the motion of said shutter.

T. In a hydraulic apparatus, a liquid conductor, a transverse dam or wall thereat having an aperture, a tube with one end arranged against the dam and communicating with the aperture and projecting from the supply side of the dam, a shutter for controlling the flow of liquid through said aperture pivoted transverse the tube, and having its swinging edge opposing the current in the tube. and adapted to substantially neu tralize the tendency of the impacting current to close the shutter, said shutter being operable with variations in velocity of flow adjacent to the shutter. and means connected to the shutter for counter-balancing variations in forces of static pressure with change in velocity of flow adjacent to the shutter, said means governing the motion of the shutter, and including a cumulative variable resistance.

8. In a hydraulic apparatus, a liquid c0nductor, a dam transverse the conductor and having an aperture, a tube projecting toward the supply, and a shutter for control ling the flow of liquid through said aperture in the tube on the supply side of the dam and operable by the variations in the resultant of two forces, the static pressure of the liquid supply in the conductor outside the tube, and the lesser static pressure of the volume of liquid flowing through the tube to the aperture.

9. An automatically operable, hydraulic apparatus for controlling or measuring, indicating and recording the flow of liquid consisting of a conductor, a shutter therein directly subjected to the hydraulic pressures therein and directly operable thereby for controiling the How, a cumulative variable resistance mechanism governing the movements of the shutter. and measuring indicating and recording mechanism actu ated in accordance with said shutter.

10. In a hydraulic apparatus, a liquid conductor, a dam transverse the conductor and having a discharge aperture, a tube projecting toward the supply, a shutter for controlling the flow of liquid through said aperture in the tube on the supply side of the dam and operable by the variations in the resultant of two forces, the static pressure of the liquid supply in the conductor outside the tube and the lesser static pressure of the volume of liquid flowing through the tube to the aperture. and a cumulative variable resistant mechanism connected to the shutter for controlling the movement thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

PAUL BAILEY.

Witnesses J. W. WYLIE, WV. E. STODDARD, HUGH B. BRADFORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

